Banks insisting on drive-throughs

I have heard from more than one developer that most bank tenants insist on having a drive-through, or else they won't ever consider a site. Accomodating a bank in an urban location is thus difficult, particularly due to the vehicular access/stacking needs. And then there is the whole issue of destroying the pedestrian orientation of the area. Any thoughts on this?

I have heard from more than one developer that most bank tenants insist on having a drive-through, or else they won't ever consider a site. Accomodating a bank in an urban location is thus difficult, particularly due to the vehicular access/stacking needs. And then there is the whole issue of destroying the pedestrian orientation of the area. Any thoughts on this?

As a developer, I can confirm what you are hearing. Banks are not interested in sites without drive-thru service. Pharmacies and many quick-serve restaurants are the same way. If the jurisdiction wants these uses in an area, finding some way to accomodate drive-thru's is critical. Way too much money goes out the drive-thru window not to have one. It would be a significant competitive disadvantage to be without.

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I guess it really depends on where the bank is. In my urban area, no bank has a drive through. These include the big national banks - citibank, Bank of America, etc. The same goes for drug stores - Walgreens CVS etc. no drive throughs in the city.

So if its one of these, kindly point out to them that they do build non-drive through facilities.

I guess it really depends on where the bank is. In my urban area, no bank has a drive through. These include the big national banks - citibank, Bank of America, etc. The same goes for drug stores - Walgreens CVS etc. no drive throughs in the city.

So if its one of these, kindly point out to them that they do build non-drive through facilities.

Go out to the suburbs or to a smaller city.You will be hard pressed to find a new bank or credit union building without one. While I ws getting my masters degree I worked for a local credit union and over half the "face to face" business was done in the drive up window. Its like a fastfood restuarant they won't do one without a drive through unless you are in a dense urban area.

"If you don't like change, you're going to like irrelevance even less" General Eric Shinseki

If the market will support it, the banks will build without the drivethrough. In the suburb that I live in (population about 19,000) there are no drive-throughs in the downtown yet there are 3 full-service banks and two more currently being planned.

I think that it is a lot easier to convince the bank that they can survive without a drive-through if there is sufficient foot traffic throughout the day and evening. Of course, their minimum threshhold of foot traffic will likely be different than yours.

I would agree with the majority of the previous posters in saying that a drive-through is a requirement in all but the most urban of environments. There are ways these have been incorporated into a building/site that mitigates their impact on the fabric of the district. Not having them on the primary frontage is a basic approach. I have seen some that allow use of an alley as part of their egress lane.

I think that it is a lot easier to convince the bank that they can survive without a drive-through if there is sufficient foot traffic throughout the day and evening. Of course, their minimum threshhold of foot traffic will likely be different than yours.

I agree, but there is also the problem of parking availability. It can be a walkable area, busy throughout the day, but without convenient parking they'll never get the business they'd have with a drive-through.

I would agree with the majority of the previous posters in saying that a drive-through is a requirement in all but the most urban of environments. There are ways these have been incorporated into a building/site that mitigates their impact on the fabric of the district. Not having them on the primary frontage is a basic approach. I have seen some that allow use of an alley as part of their egress lane.

I agree. But most of my clients past and present only allow drive thru - regardless of use - by conditional use permit.